MANILA. The Philippines has announced its intention to enhance islands and reefs in the South China Sea, a move that intensifies the ongoing territorial disputes with China. The upgrades aim to improve living conditions for troops stationed on these contested features, as confirmed by Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Romeo Brawner, on Monday.
“We’d like to improve all the nine, especially the islands we are occupying,” stated Brawner, referring to the nine features, including reefs and islands, currently under Philippine control in the South China Sea. Notable locations among these are the Second Thomas Shoal, locally known as Ayungin, and Thitu Island, the largest and strategically significant in the region.
Thitu Island, referred to as Pag-asa locally, is situated approximately 480km (300 miles) west of the Philippine province of Palawan. Brawner revealed plans to install a desalination machine on a warship deliberately grounded on Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 to assert the Philippines’ sovereignty claim.
“We are just trying to make it more liveable, more habitable for our soldiers because they really have poor living conditions,” emphasized Brawner.
The Philippine military’s broader strategy includes the acquisition of additional ships, radars, and aircraft, signaling a shift from internal defense to territorial defense, according to Brawner. Tensions persist in the South China Sea, with multiple nations, including Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, asserting sovereignty over various areas in the region, crucial for goods transportation valued at over $3 trillion annually.
China, however, claims almost the entire South China Sea, dismissing an international tribunal’s ruling that its claims lack legal basis. Recent months have witnessed heightened tensions between China and the Philippines, marked by standoffs and collisions around disputed reefs. Chinese ships have also employed water cannons against Philippine boats, exacerbating the ongoing maritime disputes in the region.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
